Where would you draft Prior in relation to other pitchers?

[AuburnTigers]

Just wanted to hear where people thought he was going to be drafted in relation to the stud pitchers

[TheYanks04]

Well IMO,

Santana
RJ
Sheets
Schilling
Schmidt

all are clearly better picks at SP.


Then you can debate guys like Zambrano, Peavy, Oliver Perez, Oswalt, Pedro, Hudson vs Prior.

It all depends on how big an injury risk you think Prior is and how much you are worried about what you saw last season. He is obviously going to go top 4 rounds and probably top 3. Is he worth it...a solid maybe. If you are someone like me who hates risk early and hates pitchers even more, then Prior is not someone you want to target in a fantasy draft come the third round. Those that took Prior last year in round 1 got roasted as he was one of the biggest fantasy flops of 2004. Caveat emptor.

[io]

well in 2003 RJ and Schilling were roasted flops, but look what they did in 04..... i would say Prior is a solid gamble in 05 and i would take him over Schmidt, all those youngsters like Ollie, and defenitly Schilling who looks to be missing time already.... i agree that taking pitchers early is a huge gamble.. but sometimes you have to. i would look to snag him in the 2nd or 3rd and feel good about it

[ocmusicjunkie]

Prior is still my #1 fantasy pitcher. You can't possibly put him behind Schilling. His upside is much greater, and at this point, you can't say Schilling is less of an injury concern.

[LBJackal]

Prior is my #1 SP. Had an off year, but I have no doubt that I'd take him over any other pitcher, keeper league or not.

[trevisc]

Santana
Oswalt
RJ (3rd only because of age/team)
Schilling
Pedro
Prior



Something like that order is how i'd have them.

Even if Prior is 100% he won't have the run support to get much more then 13 wins

[Pogotheostrich]

I have Prior 5th. Schilling injury is a concern. He has already said he thinks he will miss some time.

Randy Johnson
Johan Santana
Roy Oswalt
Pedro Martinez
Mark Prior
Jason Schmidt
Ben Sheets
Carlos Zambrano
Jake Peavy
Tim Hudson
Oliver Perez
Roy Halladay
John Smoltz
Curt Schilling
Mark Mulder
Josh Beckett
Kerry Wood
Rich Harden
Mike Mussina
A.J. Burnett

[Tavish]

Pogo's list looks about where I would put him, I might take Peavy over Prior as well. Prior is in that Zambrano/Sheets area in my mind. He could be an outstanding selection, but I don't feel safe enough to take him above the more proven studs.

[Cornbread Maxwell]

Does anyone else see the heavy emphasis placed on last season's stats again?

We go through this every yr - sorry - just a bit amuzing, I fall into the trap as well.

[btownfu]

Yeah you have a point. But it is hard to take someone who had a bad year over someone who had a better year, sort of just logic.

However, in making rankings everyone has their personal favorites and sleepers and players that will rebound....that's what makes this so much fun...."YOU were the one that KNEW this was gonna be his year"

That being said....Oliver Perez...2005 NL Cy Young...or Pedro